Have you ever received an assignment and then the professor hit you with the words “It is a group assignment”? Having a group assignment is completely different from working alone on a project. Being in a group can be a good thing or a bad thing.
My professor in my Case Studies class assigned a group project at the beginning of class. She split the groups up based upon our different personal styles. She wanted to put people who had different personal styles together to see how well we can work in a group. This exercise is to show the class how the real workplace will be when we have to work with different people.
I must say that the assignment is a great learning experience, but it is also really hard. When you are placed in a group with all intelligent people who have great ideas, it could be hard to decide who has the best.
Another issue is having different study habits. Some of the team may prefer to work at home, while others may want to get work finished at school. Some members may hate working in groups because they do not want their grade to drop because of other classmates.
One of the major issues is time. Being in college, each student has different things outside of school that they do. Whether it is working full time or being in different organizations around campus, gathering four members together at one time is a hard task.
What I love about the group that my professor has chosen for is that we are all great communicators. We had used a number a different methods to get our work done while having conflicting schedules. We have used e-mail, text messaging and social media to get in contact with one another.
This group assignment is going to put the whole class to test to see how well we can put together a project. Being in public relations, there is going to be plenty of group projects that will be assigned. A skill PR practitioner should have is the ability to work with a team.
Hey Cora, I think you have a good point. I love working in groups because it gives me an opportunity to interact with others while working toward a goal. You are right, there is always that one person that doesn't always pull their weight but that is an unavoidable part of life. It is up to you how well you handle adversity. Working in groups ultimately makes everyone a better person because as the old cliche goes "two heads are better than one".
ReplyDeleteI can understand where you're coming from. At first it's frustrating because you don't know who you may be placed in a group with, nor do you know their work ethics.
ReplyDeleteI go on to agree with the fact that's a learning experience, and in a sens eit helps you grow as a person. Being able to tolerate others while keeping your composure when things may not always go your way is a skill.
Wroking in groups builds character and relationships whether it ends well or not. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Cora, when I hear group project, I get nervous sometimes. Oftentimes, I get stuck with carrying the brunt of the work, and that makes me upset. This time I have an awesome group, probably one of the best ones I've had in my college experience. Yet, I have had several traumatic group experiences that I do not even want to recount. But such is life, you will always have to work as a group. No man is an island. We better get used it, and just make sure that we are not the weakest link. Good luck with your project.
ReplyDeleteCora,
ReplyDeleteI too agree that working in groups is a challenge. But what I take from each experience is a greater appreciation for each group members’ talents as well as lifestyle. Often times I think as college students we become so preoccupied with our immediate environment, friends and certain way of doing things. In working with groups, for me, it gives me a chance to build a relationship with someone I would not have become friends with under other circumstances. Even more than that, I can consider ideas and viewpoints other than my own that are just as good or better and learn what communication techniques and learning activities are best for each member. I also become sensitive to other obligations my group members may have, which has allowed me to realize in some regard I have it easy. Thanks for allowing me to realize these things.